Family of Kirbyville HS principal obtains order to preserve evidence surrounding his suicide

A hearing is scheduled between Kirbyville School District and Judge Wortham at 9:00a.m on Tuesday the 13th. A KCISD board meeting will also take place on Tuesday at 1:00p.m in order to discuss pending litigation.

BEAUMONT - A hearing is scheduled between Kirbyville School District and Judge Wortham at 9:00a.m on Tuesday the 13th.

"It is improper for the court to allow a free-review of records without there being some jurisdiction over the matter" stated Sara Leon with Kirbyville ISD.

"There are other procedural defects as set forth in the motion" stated Leon.

A KCISD board meeting will also take place on Tuesday at 1:00p.m in order to discuss pending litigation and related matters, according to the KCISD website.

Previous reporting:

A Beaumont judge has signed a temporary restraining order to preserve evidence surrounding the suicide of the former Kirbyville High School principal.

The order, signed by Judge Baylor Wortham in 136th District Court in Jefferson County Tuesday, was filed by the family of Dennis Reeves including his children, his parents and his widow, Tammy Reeves according to a release from The Ferguson Law Firm.

The Ferguson firm is seeking to preserve evidence surrounding Reeves' May 23, 2017 death such as personnel records, emails and cellular phones according to the release.

Beaumont’s The Ferguson Law Firm has obtained a Temporary Restraining Order from a Jefferson County judge to preserve evidence surrounding the May 23, 2017 death of Dennis Reeves, the Kirbyville High School principal.

Mr. Reeves was found dead in his pickup shortly after being forced to resign from his job.

The restraining order was filed by Mr. Reeves’ wife, Tammy Reeves, and their two children. Mr. Reeves’ parents also joined in the filing.

The filing seeks to preserve evidence over a wide range of items including personnel records, emails and cellular phones.

The parties restrained include Kirbyville Consolidated Independent School District, its superintendent (Thomas Wallis) and its assistant superintendent (Georgia Sayers).

Also included are several school board members including the board’s president, Chad George. George is the son of Kirbyville mayor, Frank George.

The order was signed by Judge Baylor Wortham, presiding judge of the 136th District Court of Jefferson County, Texas.

Paul ‘Chip’ Ferguson, the managing partner at The Ferguson Law Firm, is lead counsel for the family along with partner, Larry C. Hunter.

“The death of Dennis Reeves is a tragedy of enormous proportion. His family has tried to get answers as to how and why this happened.

That is why they came to us – to get evidence.” The filing for the Temporary Restraining Order asks only that evidence be preserved and does not make any claim for monetary damages.

“The Reeves deserve to have these answers. That is all they want. This is not a filing seeking financial gain. It is filing to seek the truth.”

In the aftermath of Dennis Reeves’ death, there has been a petition circulated calling for the termination of both the Thomas Wallis and Georgia Sayers.

The superintendent’s version of what occurred preceding Mr. Reeves’ shooting has been contradicted by others, including the Kirbyville Chief of Police. Ferguson added,

“This family has been stonewalled by a segment of the power structure within the school district. They have been victims of half-truths, mistruths and innuendo.

On the other hand, we simply intend to follow the evidence wherever it may lead. That will provide Tammy Reeves and her sons the peace they deserve.”

Tammy Reeves is a well-respected school teacher in the Evadale ISD. Dennis Reeves’ parents are also well-respected.

Judith Jones is a retired school teacher while Jimmy Jones served as a Justice of the Peace.

Ferguson implored, “We would ask that this family be given some solitude during this time of grieving. Their wounds are still fresh and they are all hurting.”